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MSphere Apr 2022Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infection transmitted by droplets, aerosols, and contact....
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infection transmitted by droplets, aerosols, and contact. Controlling the spread of COVID-19 and developing effective decontamination options are urgent issues for the international community. Here, we report the quantitative inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 in liquid and aerosolized samples by a state-of-the-art, high-power, AlGaN-based, single-chip compact deep-UV (DUV) light-emitting diode (LED) that produces a record continuous-wave output power of 500 mW at its peak emission wavelength of 265 nm. Using this DUV-LED, we observed a greater-than-5-log reduction in infectious SARS-CoV-2 in liquid samples within very short irradiation times (<0.4 s). When we quantified the efficacy of the 265-nm DUV-LED in inactivating SARS-CoV-2, we found that DUV-LED inactivation of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 was approximately nine times greater than that of SARS-CoV-2 suspension. Our data demonstrate that this newly developed, compact, high-power 265-nm DUV-LED irradiation system with remarkably high inactivation efficiency for aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 could be an effective and practical tool for controlling SARS-CoV-2 spread. We developed a 265-nm high-power DUV-LED irradiation system and quantitatively demonstrated that the DUV-LED can inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in suspensions and aerosols within very short irradiation times. We also found that the inactivation effect was about nine times greater against aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 than against SARS-CoV-2 suspensions. The DUV-LED has several advantages over conventional LEDs and mercury lamps, including high power, compactness, and environmental friendliness; its rapid inactivation of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 opens up new possibilities for the practical application of DUV-LEDs in high-efficiency air purification systems to control airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
Topics: Aerosols; COVID-19; Humans; SARS-CoV-2; Suspensions; Ultraviolet Rays
PubMed: 35475734
DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00941-21 -
AIDS (London, England) Mar 2017The aim of the present study was to determine whether a combination of anti-HIV drugs - tenofovir (TFV), lopinavir (LPV) and ritonavir (RTV) - in a lipid-stabilized...
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to determine whether a combination of anti-HIV drugs - tenofovir (TFV), lopinavir (LPV) and ritonavir (RTV) - in a lipid-stabilized nanosuspension (called TLC-ART101) could enhance and sustain intracellular drug levels and exposures in lymph node and blood cells above those in plasma.
DESIGN
Four macaques were given a single dose of TLC-ART101 subcutaneously. Drug concentrations in plasma and mononuclear cells of the blood (PBMCs) and lymph nodes (LNMCs) were analysed using a validated combination LC-MS/MS assay.
RESULTS
For the two active drugs (TFV, LPV), plasma and PBMC intracellular drug levels persisted for over 2 weeks; PBMC drug exposures were three- to four-fold higher than those in plasma. Apparent terminal half-lives (t1/2) of TFV and LPV were 65.3 and 476.9 h in plasma, and 169.1 and 151.2 h in PBMCs. At 24 and 192 h, TFV and LPV drug levels in LNMCs were up to 79-fold higher than those in PBMCs. Analysis of PBMC intracellular TFV and its active metabolite TFV-diphosphate (TFV-DP) indicated that intracellular exposures of total TFV and TFV-DP were markedly higher and persisted longer than in humans and macaques dosed with oral TFV prodrugs, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) or tenofovir alafenamide (TAF).
CONCLUSIONS
A simple, scalable three-drug combination, lipid-stabilized nanosuspension exhibited persistent drug levels in cells of lymph nodes and the blood (HIV host cells) and in plasma. With appropriate dose adjustment, TLC-ART101 may be a useful HIV treatment with a potential to impact residual virus in lymph nodes.
Topics: Animals; Anti-HIV Agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Blood Cells; Chromatography, Liquid; Delayed-Action Preparations; Lymph Nodes; Macaca; Plasma; Suspensions; Tandem Mass Spectrometry
PubMed: 28099191
DOI: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000001405 -
STAR Protocols Mar 2023Efficient protocols to generate single-cell and single-nuclei suspensions are critical for the burgeoning field of single-cell/single-nuclei sequencing. Here we describe...
Efficient protocols to generate single-cell and single-nuclei suspensions are critical for the burgeoning field of single-cell/single-nuclei sequencing. Here we describe procedures to generate single-cell and single-nuclei suspensions from embryonic and adult mouse brains. This protocol can be modified for any brain region and/or neural cell type. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Lee et al. (2022), Rhodes et al. (2022), Mahadevan et al. (2021), Ekins et al. (2020), and Wester et al. (2019)..
Topics: Animals; Mice; Cell Nucleus; Neurons; Suspensions; Brain
PubMed: 36520627
DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101944 -
Nature Methods May 2022Characterization of the size and material properties of particles in liquid suspensions is in very high demand, for example, in the analysis of colloidal samples or of...
Characterization of the size and material properties of particles in liquid suspensions is in very high demand, for example, in the analysis of colloidal samples or of bodily fluids such as urine or blood plasma. However, existing methods are limited in their ability to decipher the constituents of realistic samples. Here we introduce iNTA as a new method that combines interferometric detection of scattering with nanoparticle tracking analysis to reach unprecedented sensitivity and precision in determining the size and refractive index distributions of nanoparticles in suspensions. After benchmarking iNTA with samples of colloidal gold, we present its remarkable ability to resolve the constituents of various multicomponent and polydisperse samples of known origin. Furthermore, we showcase the method by elucidating the refractive index and size distributions of extracellular vesicles from Leishmania parasites and human urine. The current performance of iNTA already enables advances in several important applications, but we also discuss possible improvements.
Topics: Extracellular Vesicles; Humans; Nanoparticles; Particle Size; Refractometry; Suspensions
PubMed: 35534632
DOI: 10.1038/s41592-022-01460-z -
International Journal of Molecular... Jan 2023Interactions between nanoparticles (NPs) determine their self-organization and dynamic processes. In these systems, a quantitative description of the interparticle...
Interactions between nanoparticles (NPs) determine their self-organization and dynamic processes. In these systems, a quantitative description of the interparticle forces is complicated by the presence of the hydrophobic effect (HE), treatable only qualitatively, and due to the competition between the hydrophobic and hydrophilic forces. Recently, instead, a sort of crossover of HE from hydrophilic to hydrophobic has been experimentally observed on a local scale, by increasing the temperature, in pure confined water and studying the occurrence of this crossover in different water-methanol solutions. Starting from these results, we then considered the idea of studying this process in different nanoparticle solutions. By using photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) experiments on dendrimer with OH terminal groups (dissolved in water and methanol, respectively), we show the existence of this hydrophobic-hydrophilic crossover with a well defined temperature and nanoparticle volume fraction dependence. In this frame, we have used the mode coupling theory extended model to evaluate the measured time-dependent density correlation functions (ISFs). In this context we will, therefore, show how the measured spectra are strongly dependent on the specificity of the interactions between the particles in solution. The observed transition demonstrates that just the HE, depending sensitively on the system thermodynamics, determines the hydrophobic and hydrophilic interaction properties of the studied nanostructures surface.
Topics: Methanol; Suspensions; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Water; Thermodynamics
PubMed: 36768326
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032003 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2021Medium and small-scale high-clearance sprayers are widely applied in medium and small-scale farms. Owing to power and load limitations, it is difficult to manage the...
Medium and small-scale high-clearance sprayers are widely applied in medium and small-scale farms. Owing to power and load limitations, it is difficult to manage the complex system for suppressing spray boom vibration. This study was conducted to design a spray boom-air suspension system suitable for medium and small-size high-clearance sprayers by combining spray boom vibration suppression and the characteristics of air spring charging/discharging. Thus, this study aims to address the non-homogeneous distribution of spray triggered by the spray boom vibrations in medium and small high-clearance sprayers. The effects of different elastic elements on the vibration suppression effect of the spray boom were compared. According to the bench test, the dynamic response results of the spray boom under transient and sinusoidal excitations indicate that air spring is more conducive to vibration suppression than coil spring. The results obtained from the field experiments indicate that under the low solid soil condition, the spray boom air suspension should match a small additional air chamber with a volume of approximately 0.6 L, and the damping coefficient of the damper should be approximately 1792 N·s/m. In the case of the high firm soil, the spray boom air suspension should match a large additional air chamber with a volume of approximately 3.6 L, while the damping coefficient of the damper should be set to approximately 1316 N·s/m. The soil with low moisture content and high firmness are unfavorable to the vibration suppression of the spray boom. This study provides a reference for enhancing the vibration suppression of the spray boom-air suspension and improving the spray uniformity of the sprayer.
Topics: Agriculture; Soil; Suspensions; Vibration
PubMed: 34695971
DOI: 10.3390/s21206753 -
Drug Delivery Dec 2019In our previous study, enrofloxacin-loaded docosanoic acid solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) could be effectively delivered to cells in vitro. In this study, its...
In our previous study, enrofloxacin-loaded docosanoic acid solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) could be effectively delivered to cells in vitro. In this study, its properties and exploitation as possible oral and intramuscular sustained release formulations for pigs were studied after being made into suspension. The re-dispersed time and sedimentation rate of the nanosuspension were 55 s and 1, respectively. It showed good stability when stored away from light and sustained release in pH = 7.4 PBS buffer. The suspension exhibited no irritation at the injection site and good palatability. Compared with commercial injection and soluble powder, the nanosuspension increased the bioavailability of enrofloxacin by 1.63 and 2.38 folds, and extended the mean residence time (MRT) of the drug from 11.27 and 12.33 to 37.76 and 35.15 h after intragastric and intramuscular administration, respectively. These results suggest that docosanoic acid SLN suspension (DAS) might be a promising oral and intramuscular sustained release formulation to enhance the pharmacological activity of enrofloxacin.
Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Biological Availability; Delayed-Action Preparations; Drug Carriers; Enrofloxacin; Fatty Acids; Injections, Intramuscular; Lipids; Nanoparticles; Particle Size; Suspensions; Swine
PubMed: 30880494
DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2019.1580798 -
Cells Jul 2023Stem cell-based therapies are promising tools for regenerative medicine and require bulk numbers of high-quality cells. Currently, cells are produced on demand and have...
Application-Oriented Bulk Cryopreservation of Human iPSCs in Cryo Bags Followed by Direct Inoculation in Scalable Suspension Bioreactors for Expansion and Neural Differentiation.
Stem cell-based therapies are promising tools for regenerative medicine and require bulk numbers of high-quality cells. Currently, cells are produced on demand and have a limited shelf-life as conventional cryopreservation is primarily designed for stock keeping. We present a study on bulk cryopreservation of the human iPSC lines UKKi011-A and BIONi010-C-41. By increasing cell concentration and volume, compared to conventional cryopreservation routines in cryo vials, one billion cells were frozen in 50 mL cryo bags. Upon thawing, the cells were immediately seeded in scalable suspension-based bioreactors for expansion to assess the stemness maintenance and for neural differentiation to assess their differentiation potential on the gene and protein levels. Both the conventional and bulk cryo approach show comparative results regarding viability and aggregation upon thawing and bioreactor inoculation. Reduced performance compared to the non-frozen control was compensated within 3 days regarding biomass yield. Stemness was maintained upon thawing in expansion. In neural differentiation, a delay of the neural marker expression on day 4 was compensated at day 9. We conclude that cryopreservation in cryo bags, using high cell concentrations and volumes, does not alter the cells' fate and is a suitable technology to avoid pre-cultivation and enable time- and cost-efficient therapeutic approaches with bulk cell numbers.
Topics: Humans; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Differentiation; Cryopreservation; Bioreactors; Suspensions
PubMed: 37508576
DOI: 10.3390/cells12141914 -
Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE Sep 2018As shellfish aquaculture moves from coastal embayments and estuaries to offshore locations, the need to quantify ecosystem interactions of farmed bivalves (i.e.,...
As shellfish aquaculture moves from coastal embayments and estuaries to offshore locations, the need to quantify ecosystem interactions of farmed bivalves (i.e., mussels, oysters, and clams) presents new challenges. Quantitative data on the feeding behavior of suspension-feeding mollusks is necessary to determine important ecosystem interactions of offshore shellfish farms, including their carrying capacity, the competition with the zooplankton community, the availability of trophic resources at different depths, and the deposition to the benthos. The biodeposition method is used to quantify feeding variables in suspension-feeding bivalves in a natural setting and represents a more realistic proxy than laboratory experiments. This method, however, relies upon a stable platform to satisfy the requirements that water flow rates supplied to the shellfish remain constant and the bivalves are undisturbed. A flow-through device and process for using the biodeposition method to quantify the feeding of bivalve mollusks were modified from a land-based format for shipboard use by building a two-dimensional gimbal table around the device. Planimeter data reveal a minimal pitch and yaw of the chambers containing the test shellfish despite boat motion, the flow rates within the chambers remain constant, and operators are able to collect the biodeposits (feces and pseudofeces) with sufficient consistency to obtain accurate measurements of the bivalve clearance, filtration, selection, ingestion, rejection, and absorption at offshore shellfish aquaculture sites.
Topics: Animals; Aquaculture; Bivalvia; Eating; Ecosystem; Equipment Design; Oceans and Seas; Shellfish; Suspensions
PubMed: 30247486
DOI: 10.3791/58213 -
Drug Design, Development and Therapy 2020Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) can cause and perpetuate chronic inflammation and lung infection. Despite having the diagnostic criteria, as defined by the American... (Review)
Review
Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) can cause and perpetuate chronic inflammation and lung infection. Despite having the diagnostic criteria, as defined by the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), clinicians find it challenging to diagnose and treat NTM-induced lung disease. Inhaled antibiotics are suitable for patients with lung infection caused by and other organisms, but until recently, their utility in NTM-induced infection was not established. The most common NTM pathogens identified are the slow-growing complex (MAC) and the rapid-growing complex (MABSC), both of which include several subspecies. Other less commonly isolated species include , and . NTM strains are frequently more resistant than what is found in bacterial sputum cultures. Until recently, there was no approved inhaled antibiotic therapy for patients who were culture positive for pulmonary NTM infection. Of late, inhaled amikacin has been under investigation for the treatment of NTM-induced pulmonary infection. The FDA approved Arikayce (amikacin liposome inhalation suspension or ALIS) based on results from the ongoing Phase 3 CONVERT trial. In this study, the use of Arikayce met its primary endpoint of sputum culture conversion by the sixth month of treatment. The addition of Arikayce to guideline-based therapy led to negative sputum cultures for NTM by month 6 in 29% of patients compared to 8.9% of patients treated with guideline-based therapy alone. The effectiveness of Arikayce holds promise. However, due to limited data on Arikayce's safety, it is currently useful only for a specific population, particularly patients with refractory NTM-induced lung disease. Future trials must verify the target group and endorse the clinical benefits of Arikayce.
Topics: Administration, Inhalation; Adult; Amikacin; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Humans; Liposomes; Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous; Suspensions
PubMed: 32606598
DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S146111